Mother Proof's view

It might sound shallow, but I like pretty cars. I like sleek, fluid, elegant vehicles that look like they cost six figures, especially when they don’t. Honda’s new 2009 Pilot doesn’t bust out of the pricing ceiling or qualify as pretty either. It was redesigned this year, and it’s become a big ol’ boxy, unapologetically retro-looking truck. I gave the Pilot a chance and discovered a soft heart buried beneath all the sharp edges. Just like the frog prince, the 2009 Pilot’s appearances can be deceiving. In the hopes that a fairy godmother will descend with a fabulous makeover, I hereby rename this midsize SUV “Truckarella.” She’s a hardworking princess on the inside.

The Pilot works hard to give the driver a fabulously personal fit, so hard that I wonder if it’s almost too much. Of course, the driver’s seat has eight-way power adjustment. The seat setting can be saved as a memory position that is recognized by, wait for it, the key fob. The car knows the keys you’re using and positions the seat where you (or your prince) like it. You also can set the doors to lock when you shift out of park or when you reach 10 mph, decide if the car beeps when locked and if the navigation system uses a male or female voice. My recommendation, if you buy one, is to have the dealer set everything before you leave or you’ll lose hours to the process.

Driving is the point of all this, of course, and the Pilot does its duty cheerfully. Songbirds won’t alight on your shoulders or anything, but there is no hesitation when you hit the gas or touch the brakes. Honda manages to provide an almost car-like ride with solid handling. Most importantly, it handles the kids pretty darn well, too. New flat stepping areas and a lower grab handle make getting in and out easy for little legs. In the second row, built-in sunshades block harmful UV rays. There are bins, buckets and pockets everywhere you look to store more kid stuff than you ever need (like those 27 Happy Meal toys you’re not allowed to throw out).

The third row is easily accessible and large enough for grownups. Three Latch positions in the second row are wide enough that two child-safety seats (pending usable dimensions) can be installed on the “60” side of the 60/40-split folding seat. There is tons of flexibility in the cargo area, too. An under-floor bin opens and clips to the back of the third-row seat, allowing a hammock to be strung across the area. Lightweight items go in the hammock and heavy/dirty/wet stuff goes in the plastic-encased lower bin. There is a side bin with a door that’s large enough to hold two gallons of milk or a huge bottle of laundry detergent from Costco. It’s also a great place to keep an emergency stash of clothes, towels or a first-aid kit. The 2009 Pilot’s third-row folding method is better than earlier models (thank you, Honda). No more climbing into the cargo area to pull the seats up!

The navigation system is easy to use and comes with an incredibly vital backup camera. But, you don’t have to spring for the navigation system to get the camera. In the EX-L model, the camera feed is shown in the rearview mirror. In addition, sensors beep to warn of approaching obstacles. I found the beeping to be annoying in the drive-through lane, but it put me on guard in tight quarters, so it’s probably worth the annoyance. A nifty USB interface plugs into my iPod and allows me to use the steering-wheel controls to play my music.

Unlike my prince and little royal jesters, the Pilot listens to me. Push the talk button, make a command and your will is done. For example, I say, “Climate temperature 70,” and the Pilot obliges. The voice command feature works with climate controls, the audio system and hands-free phone use thanks to Bluetooth technology, which usually works with a cellular phone. About half of the time I would try to make a call and wait in silence until the Pilot beeped to alert me that the call had failed. So, I would try again. And again. Come to find out that Bluetooth had cut out and I had prank-called my mother-in-law four times in a row (total mistake, I swear). And it sounded so promising…

Unchanged from last year are the center seat belts that descend from the ceiling. These are a major peeve of ours here at MotherProof.com. When the center belts are in use, they block our view out the rear window. They don’t fit kids well, but my kids tell me they are great for suspending toy superheroes. Still a visual impairment, but at least it provides entertainment for the kiddos. (Looking on the bright side here!)

The 2009 Pilot has all the makings for a happy ending. Although the Pilot’s tough-looking exterior is a little off-putting, just like the frog prince, it’s what’s inside that counts.

*For more information on the 2009 Honda Pilot and its safety features, visit Cars.com. With questions or comments regarding this review, write to editor@motherproof.com.

LET’S TALK NUMBERS

Latch Connectors: 4

Seating Capacity (includes driver): 8

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT

Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Galore

Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Galore

SENSE AND STYLE

Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Excellent

Fun Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove On): Groove On

Specs

2009 Honda Pilot

Base price: $27,595

Price as tested: $38,395

Engine: 250-hp, 3.5L V-6

Fuel: 17/23 mpg

Length: 190.9″

Width: 78.5″

Ground Clearance: 8.0″

Turning Radius: 38.6 ft.

Cargo space: 18/47.7 cu. ft.

NHTSA Crash-Test Ratings

Frontal Impact

Driver’s side: n/a

Passenger’s side: n/a

Side Impact

Front occupant: n/a

Rear occupant: n/a

Rollover resistance: 4 Stars